| The Demolisher | |
|---|---|
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| Production | |
| Episode | 1.38 |
| Original Airdate | November 13, 1985 |
| Writer(s) | Bob Haney & Peter Lawrence |
| Chronology | |
| Previous Episode | Lion-O's Anointment First Day: The Trial of Strength |
| Next Episode | Monkian's Bargain |
| All Episodes | Episode Guide |
The Demolisher is an episode from the original series of ThunderCats. Written by Bob Haney and Peter Lawrence, it originally aired on November 13, 1985.
Official Summary[]
The Demolisher is a fearsome creature driven only by the desire to fight and destroy. If there's no one to fight for pay, then he'll fight for pleasure. His victories are witnessed - and opponents drummed up - by his sidekick, the Dirge. The Demolisher lands on Third Earth to challenge Mumm-Ra, not knowing that such a challenge is made futile by Mumm-Ra's immortality. When he has defeated Mumm-Ra and is about to destroy him forever, Mumm-Ra flees into the Pyramid, summoning the Demolisher after him. There, he indicates Lion-O 's image in the Cauldron, taunting the Demolisher and inciting him to challenge the ThunderCats. Lion-O's initial reaction to the Demolisher's challenge is to avoid a fight, but he is eventually forced to defend himself. The fight reaches a stalemate, which Lion-O breaks by summoning the other ThunderCats - not to destroy the Demolisher, but to prevent him from fighting until he effectively destroys himself. Respecting the Demolisher's prowess and courage, he tries to persuade him to fight for the Code of Thundera, but the Demolisher is driven only by violence and he teleports himself and the Dirge back to his spacecraft, leaving Third Earth forever.
Official Moral[]
The Demolisher is a mercenary, who seeks violence for violence's sake, and fights without regard for any principles. He has no beliefs and fights not for a cause, but merely as an exercise in strength. As a result, he appears out of control and is a victim of his own disorder and confusion. Whenever we allow our own physical impulses to be expressed without moderation and without regard for purpose, we too are subject to disorder and confusion. Any expression of force must be linked with a rational purpose and must be appropriate to an end. Behavior must always be consonant with moral standards.
Story[]
An alien spaceship arrives on Third Earth and lands near Mumm-Ra's pyramid. The ship belongs to Demolisher, a warrior who searches the galaxy for fighters who will give him a decent challenge in one-on-one battle. His sidekick and cheerleader Dirge, recommends that he fight Mumm-Ra, the ever-living. The Demolisher challenges Mumm-Ra, who emerges from his pyramid and the two engage in a lengthy battle. Eventually the Demolisher defeats Mumm-Ra and pins him to the ground. Mumm-ra upon seeing his reflection in the Demolisher's boot, retreats back into his pyramid.
Mumm-Ra then sends a ball of light out of his pyramid and invites the Demolisher inside with the promise of revealing the name of an even greater fighter to him. Once inside the Black Pyramid, Mumm-Ra shows the Demolisher images of Lion-O in his cauldron. The Demolisher initially dismisses Lion-O as being nothing but a mere cub with a sword but Mumm-Ra continues to taunt the Demolisher into fighting Lion-O until the alien agrees.
The Demolisher swoops in from the sky wearing his rocket pack and attacks Lion-O and Snarf. Lion-O is surprised at this unprovoked attack and questions the Demolisher about his motive for fighting him. The Demolisher replies that he fights simply because Lion-O exists and continues attacking Lion-O. The Demolisher utilizes every single weapon in his arsenal against the Lord of the ThunderCats but Lion-O succeeds in counteracting each and everyone of those with the Sword of Omens.
Finally the Demolisher manages to restrain Lion-O using his giant fork-like Grounder which encases Lion-O in an electronic field. Lion-O succeeds in freeing his arm and summons the other ThunderCats using the Sword of Omens. Tygra, Panthro and Cheetara arrive just in time to witness Lion-O rip apart the Grounder with his bare hands, much to the surprise of the Demolisher who was under the impression that he had already won the duel. Lion-O then fires all three of his Claw Lines at the Demolisher's floating spaceship and pulls it to the ground.
As Lion-O had clearly won the fight, he tries to talk some sense into the Demolisher by convincing him to fight for a cause instead of searching for hollow victories. The Demolisher however, refuses to change his thinking saying that he has no cause. Then he and Dirge climb back into their ship and blast off into space.
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Trivia[]
- The basic plot of this episode is similar in many ways to the earlier episode Safari Joe. In both, a champion arrives to Third Earth in his spaceship accompanied by a sidekick, looking for a decent challenge. They find that challenge in the ThunderCats and are eventually defeated by the Cats and leave the planet.
- Neither the Mutants nor the ThunderKittens appear in this episode.
- The ball of light that Mumm-Ra used to guide the Mutants inside the Black Pyramid and to his tomb chamber in The Unholy Alliance also appears in this episode.
- When Mumm-Ra shows the Demolisher images of Lion-O in his cauldron, the scenes are from the earlier episodes "Return to Thundera" and "The Rock Giant". "Return to Thundera" was written by Bob Haney while "The Rock Giant" was written by Peter Lawrence, the two writers who collaborated on the script of this episode.
- Peter Newman has stated in a number of interviews that doing the Demolisher's was the most difficult voice that he had to perform and he was glad that the character never appeared in any other episode.
- The Demolisher says to Lion-O, "A fool and his sword are soon parted", which is a reference to the old English proverb, "A fool and his money are soon parted".
Goofs[]
Notable Quotes[]
Demolisher: Show yourself, Mumm-Ra. Face the Demolisher. Unless you are afraid, an ever-living coward!
Mumm-Ra: (shrinks down in size) Surely the greatest warrior in the galaxy can deal with such a tiny creature.
(laughs as he dodges the Demolisher's feet)
Mumm-Ra: Or would you prefer someone larger?
(grows into a giant)
Demolisher: Show me the fighter you speak of, Mumm-Ra. And let's hope he is a better match than you.
Dirge: Stay out of this, furball. He'll finish you next time.
(Snarf turns, striking him with his tail)
Dirge: Ow. Don't take it out on me. I'm strictly a cheerleader.
Lion-O: I called my friends to save you, not to save me.
Lion-O: Fight, Demolisher. But one day you'll meet your match, and your string of worthless victories will be ended by a pointless defeat.
Snarf: (beating Dirge's drum) Victory to Lion-O, Lord of the ThunderCats! Victory to Lion-O, Lord of the ThunderCats!
Lion-O: (covering his ears) Hey, Snarf, cut it out!
Panthro: (clasping his head) Oh, no!
Cheetara: Snarf!
Tygra: Snarf, enough!
Snarf: If you want the drum, you'll have to fight me for it!
Lion-O: Now that's what I call a cause.
(chases him with the others following)
Media[]
This episode was released on the following media:
DVD[]
Episode Screenshots[]
External Links[]
- The Demolisher at IMDb
- ThunderCats 1985 cartoon series on Wikipedia
- ThunderCats on ThunderCats.org
